Following in the famous footsteps of Ansel Adams, who used his photography to help turn the Kings River region of the Sierra Nevada into a national park, photographer Elizabeth Carmel hopes to help protect the Sierra Nevada.

Today, one of the biggest threats facing this region -- known as "the Range of Light" -- is the effects of climate change. In her new book, The Changing Range of Light, the artist pairs her spectacular photos with text from two scientists about how the landscapes shown are subtly, but inexorably being altered.

"Since 1970, Lake Tahoe has been warming at an average rate of 0.23 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, and the warming trend is increasing the lake's thermal stability and resistance to mixing... [meaning that] fine sediment and nutrients remain near the surface for longer periods, where they have a maximum effect on the lake's apparent clarity."